Belt training idler



5m. 28, 1958 c. D. SCHOTT.

BELT TRAININGIDLER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 9. 1955 Jan. 28, 1958 c.D. SCHOTT BELT TRAINING IDLER- 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 9. 1955 23958' c. D. SCHOTT' BELT TRAINING IDL'ER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 9.1.955

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BELT l' G mLER Charles D. Schott, Indianapolis, Ind., assignor to Link-Beit Company, a corporation of Illinois Application February 9, 1255,Serial No. 487,060

7 Claims. (Cl. 198-202) This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in conveyor belt training idlers and deals moreparticularly with training idlers of the positive action type for use inconnection with reversible belt conveyors.

Belt training idlers have been widely used in the past for maintainingproper alignment of conveyor belts on the supporting idlers in both theload carrying and return runs of the conveyors. Known types of trainingidlers, however, have been specifically designed and adapted for use inconnection with conveyors which are to be operated in a prescribedmanner. For example, positive action type training idlers have beenpreferred in those instances where the belt always travels in a givendirection. This type of training idler, however, could not be used withreversible belt conveyors because the aligning action has been initiatedby engagement between the side portions of a misaligned belt and guidemembers which were mounted on the side of the idler from which the beltapproached. A reversal in the direction of movement of the belt,therefore, would cause the prior types of positive action trainingidlers to increase rather than correct any misalignments of the belt. Asa result of this difficulty, reversible belt conveyors haveconventionally employed other types of training idlers, the aligningaction of which is neither positive nor necessarily proportional to thedegree of misalignment of the belt.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a positive actionbelt training idler which, without the addition or removal of anyelements, will correct the misalignment of a belt traveling in eitherdirection thereon.

, A further important object of the invention is to pro vide a belttraining idler having guide elements positioned at opposite sides of thebelt which are jointly movable into lateral alignment with the oppositeside edges of a belt for conditioning the idler to correct themisalignment of a belt traveling in either direction.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a positiveaction belt training idler having guide elements on opposite sides ofthe belt which are jointly movable and which may be easily and quicklylocked in alternate positions for cooperation with a belt movingalternately in opposite directions.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and inwhich like reference characters are employed to designate like partsthroughout the same,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a belt conveyorshowing belt training idlers embodying the invention associated with theactive and return runs of the belt,

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1, and

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown thepreferred embodiment of the invention, the active run 4 of the conveyorbelt 5 is supported by con- 2,821,291 Patented Jan. 28, 1958 ice Boththe throughed, active run 4 and fiat, return run 8 of the belt 5 aresubject to misalignment on the idlers 6 0 and 9, respectively,particularly in those installations where the belt is subiect to unequalstretch or ofi-center loading, or where the belt is subjected to sidewind forces. In order to prevent excessive misalignment of either theactive run 4 or return run 8 of the belt 5, belt training idlers 11 aremounted on the stringers 7 for association with the active run of thebelt and belt training idlers 12 are suspended from the stringers 7 forassociation with the return run of the belt. The spacing between thetraining idlers 11 along the active run 4 and the training idlers 12along the return run 8 will vary according to the extent to which thebelt 5 is subject to misalignment, but will always exceed the spacingbetween the troughed belt idlers 6 or return belt idlers 9.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2 for a detail description of the trainingidler 11 associated with the active run 4 of the belt 5, a stationarybase is provided by the angle member 13 which opens downwardly and hasmounted on its opposite end portions brackets 14, the bottom flanges ofwhich are secured to the tops of the stringers 7. At the mid-point ofthe angle member 13, an opening is provided for receiving thecylindrical base member which is securely fastened to the angle member13 with its axis vertically arranged at the centerline of the conveyor.

Mounted for pivotal movement on the cylindrical base 15 is an elongatedrectangular frame formed of spaced side bars 16 which extendtransversely of the conveyor and are connected at their opposite ends bybars 17. The bars 16 are connected at their mid-points by a bracket 18having a base 19 which rests on and is supported by the cap 21 of thecylindrical base member 15. Connected to the bottom of the base 19 anddepending therefrom into the interior of the cylindrical base member 15is a pin, not shown, which is engaged by suitable bearing members withinthe base member to permit free pivotal movement of the bracket 18 aboutthe axis of the base member.

The end bars 17 and bracket 18 are provided with aligned, upwardlyopening notches for receiving a shaft 22 upon which is rotatably mounteda pair of belt supporting rolls 23. The rolls 23 are arranged onopposite sides of, and extend between, the bracket 18 and the end bars17. A cap 24 is fitted over the shaft 22 between the rolls 23 and issecured to the bracket 18 to retain the shaft in its above describedposition. Opposite end portions of the shaft 22 extend laterallyoutwardly beyond the bars 17 and have rigidly mounted thereon guide arms25 which are arranged in like radial positions on the shaft. Movement ofone arm 25, therefore, will effect like movement of the other and botharms may be maintained in a selected position by maintaining one arm inthe position.

Each of the arms 25 is formed with a hub 26 having two spokes 27extending radially therefrom, the included angle between the spokesbeing an obtuse angle. Connected to the outer ends of the spokes 27 byspacer bars 28 is a roller mounting bracket 29 the opposite end portionsof which are arranged in parallel relationship wlth the spokes. At eachend of the roller mounting bracket 29 there is provided a sleeve 30 forreceiving the stub axle 31 of a guide roller 32 and set screws 33 arethreaded through the sleeves to retain the rollers in place on thebracket. The laterally opposed sleeves 39 of the two arms 25 areoppositely inclined from the 32. in normal relationship with theadjacent inclinededgeportion of the troughed belt 5 when the arms arerotated to position the rollers opposite the belt edges. V

Mounted onthe outer. surface at one end portion of each bar id is asleeve 34 the. axis of which extends transversely of the conveyor; Eachsleeve 34 has positioned therein a latch pin '35 having an operatinglever 36iextending radially outwardly therefrom through h..Ufshaped'notch 37 in the outer side of its sleeve 34'. The pin 35,therefore, cairbe moved betweenand maintained in a laterally extended orretracted position by movement of the operating lever 36 from one legto. the other of the notch 37. An inwardly opening recess isformed ineach spoke 27 of the arm 25 adjacent, the pins 35 at the same radialdistance from. the axis of the hub 26 as that of the pins so that thearm' may be rotated. to position the recess of either spoke 27 inalignment with its associated pin 35. The pin 35 may thereupon be movedoutwardly into the recess and locked in its extended position to preventfurther movement of the arm 25. The sleeves 34 are so positioned thatwhen either one of the pins 35 is latched in the recess of itsassociated spoke 27, the other spoke will lie in parallel relationshipwith the belt 5. The corresponding end portion of the bracket 29 willalso lie in parallel relationship with the belt 5 and the rollers 32mounted thereon will be supported in laterally spaced relationship withthe adjacent edge of the belt 5. The roller 32 at the opposite end ofthe bracket 29, however, Will be lowered into a position below theadjacent edge of the belt.

Pivotal movement of the frame provided by the bars 16 and 17 may belimited by the provision of bracket arms 38 which are mounted on theangle member 13 and are provided with upwardly extending end portionsarranged in outwardly spaced relationship with the bars 16. Threadedthrough the upturned end portion of each arm 38 is a stud 39 theposition of which may-be varied to increase or decrease the maximumangle of pivotal movement of the side bars 16 before they engage thehead of the stud. The studs 39 are locked in their ad? justed positionsby nuts 41.

The operation of the belt training idler 11 will be described in detailas follows:

Presuming first that the belt is to be driven in the direction indicatedby the arrow of Fig. 1', the arms 25 are jointly rotated to and latchedin positions at which the guide rollers 32 on the approach side of therolls 23 are aligned with the opposite edges of the belt 5. In otherwords, the guide rollers 32 aligned with the edges of the belt Sam onthe side of the rolls 2.3. fromwhich the belt approaches the rolls;Since both of the arms 25' are mounted-rigidly. on the same shaft 22 thepositioning and latching of one of the arms will similarly position andlatch the .armat. the opposite sideof the conveyor.

The belt 5 isthereafter set into motion and, for so long as thebelt iscentered on the troughed belt idlers 6, the rolls 23 will maintain theshaft 22 in a position normal to the direction of travel of the belt 5.In other words, any movement of the shaft 22 out of normal relationshipwith the. direction of travel of the belt 5 is immediately corrected bythe frictional drag created between the. belt and the skewed rolls 23 asthe belt moves across the rolls.. If, however, the belt 5 becomesmisaligned onthe troughed belt idlers 6, the lateralmove ment' of the.belt will cause the edge of the belt to engage the guide roller 32 onthe side of the conveyortoward which the belt: is" misaligned. Thisengagement between. theedge of the -belt5 and the guide. roller 32 will.apply aforce to the. arm 25 causing the pivotally SupQQfid:P01-'1tiQHof. they training idler 11 to. berotated slightly about its pivotpointon the cylindrical. base member 15.- The. rolls 23, h ref e. be. slighly askew from their positions normal to the direction of travel of thebelt 5 and the belt while moving acrossthe rolls will be given a slightcomponent of movement in a lateral direction to return the belt to itsinitially centered position.

When the direction of movement of the belt 5 is to be reversed, theoperating lever 36 of the latched pin 35 is moved to retract the pin andthe arms 25 are totated to align the. other pin 35 with the recess inits associated spoke 27. This latter pin 35 is then moved into itsextended position to latch the arms 25 and the training idler 11 isagain ready for operation of the belt in areverse direction. It will benoted that the repositioning of one arm 25 will automatically effect theproper repositioning of the arm 25 at the opposite side of the conveyorand that the repositioning of the arms may be easily and quicklyaccomplished without tools and without the addition or removal of anyelement of. the belt training idler 11.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, it will be noted that the belttraining idler 12 associated with the return run 8 of the belt 5 isidentical to the belt training idler 11. with the following exceptions:

The stationary angle member 42 of the training idler 12 is: equal inlength to the spacing between the outer surfaces of the stringers 7 andthe angle memberis mounted on the stringers by means of plates 43 whichare suitably connected to the ends of the angle member and to the outersurfaces of the stringers 7. The guide arms 44 of, the belt trainingidler 12 are also-modified to accommodate the flat returnrun 8 of thebelt 5. Each arm 44 includes a hub 45 with roller mounting bracket arms46 extending radially outwardly therefrom, and with the included anglebetween the arms being an obtuse angle. The. sleeves. 47 mounted at theouter ends of the bracket arms 46 are. each provided with a bore, theaxis of which is arranged in a vertical plane.

All of the remaining elements of the training idler 12 are identical tothose of the training idler 11 and have been given correspondingreference numbers. Further, the. operation of the training idler 12 isthe same as that of the training idler 11 and will not be describedagain.

It is to be understood that the form of this invention herewith shownand described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and thatvarious changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A training idler for a reversible belt conveyoncomprising a framemounted for pivotal movement about an axis normal to the transversemiddle portion of the belt, a shaft journaled on said frame in normalrelationship with the pivotal axis of the latter, roll means rotatablymounted on said 'shaftfor supporting saidbelt, two guide arms rigidlymounted on spaced portions of said shaft and each having portionsarranged on opposite sides of the shaft along the edges of the belt, anupwardly extending. guide roller mounted on each of said guide armportions, said arms being jointly rockable through their connections tosaid shaft to alternately position the rollers. of the correspondinglyarranged portions of the two guide arms in operative relationship withthe edges of the belt, andmeans for holdingsaid' guide arms androllersin. their alternate positions.

2. A training idler for a reversible belt conveyor, comprising a framemounted for pivotal movement about an axis normal to the transversemiddle portion of the. belt, a shaft. journaled on said frame in normalrelationship with the pivotal axis of the latter, roll means rotatably.mounted on said shaft for supporting said belt, two. guide arms rigidlymounted. on spaced portions of said shaft for rocking movementtherewith, said guide arms each having portions arranged on oppositesides of the shaft alternately rockable to positions extending along theedges of the belt, an upwardly extending guide roller mounted on each ofsaid guide arm portions for alternate movement therewith into and out ofan operative position in normal relationship with the adjacent edge ofthe belt, and means for holding said guide arms and rollers in theiralternate positions.

3. A training idler for a reversible belt conveyor, comprising a framemounted for pivotal movement about an axis normal to the transversemiddle portion of the belt, means for limiting the pivotal movement ofsaid frame, a shaft journaled on said frame in normal relationship withthe pivotal axis of the latter, roll means rotatably mounted on saidshaft for supporting said belt, two guide arms rigidly mounted on spacedportions of said shaft for rocking movement therewith, said guide armseach having portions extending in opposite directions along said beltfrom said roll means and alternately rockable to positions adjacent theedges of the belt, an upwardly extending guide roller mounted on each ofsaid guide arm portions for alternate movement therewith into and out ofan operative position in normal relationship with the adjacent edge ofthe belt, and means for holding said guide arms and rollers in theiralternate positions.

4. A training idler for a reversible belt conveyor, comprising a framemounted for pivotal movement about an axis normal to the transversemiddle portion of the belt, a shaft journaled on said frame in normalrelationship with the pivotal axis of the latter, stop means engageableby said frame to limit the movement of the shaft from a positionextending transversely of the belt, roll means rotatably mounted on saidshaft for supporting said belt, a pair of guide arms rigidly mounted onopposite end portions of said shaft for rocking movement therewith, saidguide arms having portions spaced in opposite directions along said beltfrom said roll means, an upwardly extending guide roller mounted on eachof said guide arm portions, the guide rollers of each arm being rockabletherewith to alternately move the rollers of the corresponding portionsof the two guide arms into and out of operative positions in normalrelationship with the edges of the belt, and means for holding saidguide arms and rollers in their alternate positions.

5. A training idler for a reversible belt conveyor, comprising a framemounted for pivotal movement about an axis normal to the transversemiddle portion of the belt, a shaft journaled on said frame in normalrelationship with the pivotal axis of the latter, roll means rotatablymounted on said shaft for supporting said belt, a pair of guide armsrigidly mounted on opposite end portions of said shaft for rockingmovement therewith through a selected angle, means for latching saidguide arms in alternate positions at the limits of said selected angle,and a pair of guide rollers mounted in corresponding positions on eachof said guide arms, the corresponding guide rollers of the two guidearms being alternately supported in operative relationship with theopposite edges of the belt in opposite directions along the latter fromsaid roll means when said arms are latched in their alternate positions.

6. A training idler for a reversible belt conveyor, comprising atransversely extending frame mounted beneath the belt for pivotalmovement about an axis normal to the transverse middle portion of thebelt, roll means rotatably mounted on said frame for supporting saidbelt, a guide arm rockably supported intermediate its ends on each endportion of the frame outwardly of the adjacent edge of the belt, anupwardly extending guide roller mounted on each end portion of eachguide arm, both of said guide arms being rockable to place the guiderollers supported on their correspondingly arranged end portionsalternately in operative positions relative to their associated edges ofthe belt, and means for holding said guide arms and their guide rollersin each of said alternate positions.

7. A training idler as defined in claim 6 further characterized by meansextending between and connected to both of the guide arms so that therocking movement of one of said arms will bring about a correspondingmovement of the other arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 678,956France Jan. 2, 1930

